An Opera Director
With a Cinematic Eye

By

Matthew Gurewitsch

Updated June 12, 1998 12:01 a.m. ET

Milan

"A s a little girl, I saw several operas that I thought were terrible. All the singers looked as if they were dressed in tents and carpets. My mother also took me to the movies a lot, which right away I liked much more." So says Liliana Cavani, whose production of Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" opened last Friday at La Scala under the baton of Riccardo Muti. Evidently, the movie fan has made her peace with opera,...